Celtics’ chances of getting Ben Simmons are higher than you think
The Boston Celtics are among the teams who have contacted the Philadelphia 76ers to show interest in point guard Ben Simmons, according to a top NBA insider.
Shams Charania wrote in The Athletic on Monday that the Celtics “have engaged in conversations with the 76ers revolving around Simmons and expressed interest in the 6-foot-11 guard.”
Charania did add that talks “have been fluid with no traction as of yet.” So nothing is imminent. However, it does appear that the Celtics have an elevated level of interest in Simmons compared to other teams around the NBA.
The Simmons trade rumors come amid reports of rampant off-court drama between the Sixers and their high-priced guard, who recently requested a trade. According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the team recently fined Simmons a $360,000 game check for missing a game against the Detroit Pistons.
Per Woj, the Sixers “plan to continue fining [Simmons] until he cooperates with team physicians on his mental health and fulfills other basketball-related obligations.” Charania also reported that Simmons has been providing the team with names of mental health professionals that have worked with him.
It sounds like Simmons has a lot of personal issues to sort through before he can get back to working and playing basketball at the level he’s shown in his career. He’ll likely have to get himself back on track in a new uniform, and the possibility remains that it ends up being the Celtics. Stay tuned.
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Matt Dolloff is a writer and podcaster for 985TheSportsHub.com. Any opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of 98.5 The Sports Hub, Beasley Media Group, or any subsidiaries. Have a news tip, question, or comment for Matt? Yell at him on Twitter @mattdolloff and follow him on Instagram @mattydsays. You can also email him at mdolloff@985thesportshub.com.
